Interview with the Next To Normal Company

Next to Normal is a 2008 American rock musical with book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey and music by Tom Kitt. It enjoyed a sold-out and critically acclaimed run at London’s Donmar Warehouse last year, and now the show is back for a limited season at Wyndham’s Theatre.

Directed by former Donmar Warehouse Artistic Director Michael Longhurst, Next to Normal combines an exciting rock score with a story about a family dealing with heartbreaking challenges. At the heart of the story is Diana Goodman, played by Caissie Levy. She’s living with bipolar disorder. It’s an incredibly emotional and beautifully written piece of work, and it’s no surprise that Next to Normal not only won three Tony Awards but also the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

Ahead of its official opening at Wyndham’s, I went along to find out more about the production from Director Michael Longhurst, Composer Tom Kitt and the phenomenal cast, returning from last year’s run at the Donmar.

In a panel discussion, we were given a brilliant insight into Next to Normal’s history, the writing process and how this new production came to life. With no spoilers for people who are new to the show, read on to find out why Next to Normal is so special.

Michael Longhurst, former Artist Director of the Donmar Warehouse and responsible for bringing Next to Normal to London, spoke with Composer Tom Kitt about the long creative process that took it from a ten minute workshop project to an award winning full-scale musical. Tom explained:

“It’s actually been 26 years since my first conversation with Brian Yorkey (Book & Lyrics). We met at Columbia University and started writing together. We applied to the BMI Musical Theatre workshop, and in our first year the last assignment was to create a ten minute musical. Brian asked me to meet him at a coffee shop and pitched to me the story of Next to Normal which at that point was called Feeling Electric. 

I don’t think either of us expected that ten minute experiment would become a full length musical but there was something about the story we just couldn’t shake, it affected us and we kept wanting to write songs for it. We went about it a bit backwards, you’re supposed to outline your show and then write the score, so we have a lot of songs that are in the trunk that went away as we began to hone in on the story.

Even though we were nervous about taking on something that felt it was going to take a lot of work, the more people talked about it and it seemed to affect them, the more we realised we  were onto something that was demanding the best of us and we were inspired to tell the story.

When Brian and I were talking about Next to Normal, we were talking about Rent, Hedwig, Tommy and Hair and we felt we wanted the show to have a rock energy but also lean into Kander and Ebb and to Sondheim. As a composer I look to a score that can be muscular and varied and serve a wide range of emotions, so even though Next to Normal has rock music throughout, there are songs that delve into different styles. I think we were trying to follow in the footsteps of the shows that made us want to come to this artform”.

Talking about seeing Next to Normal on a West End stage, 15 years after its Broadway run, Tom said:

“When I arrived and saw the first preview I literally wept. I’ve always been able to be outside of Next to Normal and take in the artistry of the actors and how they delicately and beautifully tell this story, take care of each other and the story and infuse it with beauty and humanity, so there was something about sitting here and feeling the story come back like an old friend. I felt like I did when I first saw the elements of the play some years ago when Brian and I put it together and saw the I was a mess for the last 15 minutes.

I think this production is glorious, Michael’s work is beautiful and you can feel the connection the cast has with one another, how they’re telling the story together. There are new things I didn’t know were coming. When you create something, your dream is it that it won’t just stand in the moment in which you’re making it, you can come back and see how other people interpret it. So the beauty of that and the unexpectedness of how I felt while I was watching it brought over a wave of emotion. It’s such a great privilege to come back and revisit it”.

Michael then introduced the cast, who are all reprising their roles from the Donmar production. They are all clearly delighted to be working together again, saying:

Jack Wolfe (Gabe): I think we’re all really happy just to come back and revisit the show again. It was a really special time at the Donmar, it’s rare you get to assemble a cast that has chemistry like this and love for each other. I was excited to get back and see everyone again. To get to do it here at Wyndham’s is pretty special, it marks a couple of our official West End debuts, so to do it in a show that I love so much really means the world to me.

Caissie Levy (Diana): It’s so rare when an entire company gets to come back together, We all like and trust each other so much so it’s been really exciting to dig back in and start fresh but with the wonderful template we had from the Donmar. We’ve been able to find even more new moments and knowing we’ve got each other’s backs as we try out new things in this gorgeous theatre has been amazing.

Eleanor Worthington-Cox (Natalie): To be in this theatre and have this new home has been the most spectacular feeling, we’ve only had 2 performances (so far) but it’s the most incredible feeling to have so many more people who can relate and connect with the show every night.

Jamie Parker (Dan): When you say “West End theatre”, it’s this one that’s the first one that pops into my head, it’s perfectly proportioned for the scale of production we’ve got, there’s a reason there’s a history of Donmar shows coming in here. It just works. I think it’s a mark of rich writing that you can continue to explore and to frame things in a new way.  It’s all actors are looking for really, you get to work with nice people who are good at their jobs, that helps as well. This one is ticking all the boxes

Trevor Dion Nicholas (Dr Madden/Dr Fine): I think it’s cool to get to present this to people who weren’t able to see it at the Donmar because the run was mostly sold out before we even got started, it’s exciting to hear this many people react to things. The space that we have compared to the intimacy of the Donmar allows people to feel a little more freely, they don’t feel as seen - because they’re not! - but we have still been able to hold on to the electricity of that intimacy that we found at the Donmar. To come back with all of us is a gift as an actor that we rarely get to experience. 

Talking about how they navigate such a challenging show eight times a week, it’s clear this company is very well supported:

Jack: I knew what I was coming into with this show, and I was struck instantly by the kindness and safety within room. Directing the rehearsal process, Mike invited in experts on all of the facets of every part of the show who would know what we were talking about, they were able to talk to us and make sure we’re creating from a place of truth and authenticity Also the production is partnering with Applause for Thought which is an amazing relationship, we have access to free sessions with a therapist there and I think it all goes back to introducing culture of safety in the room. We talk about it all the time in the industry and it becomes a buzzword but genuinely it’s the only way that a piece like this can be created and having a cast that feels solid with each other and able to share how they’re feeling at any given moment and know that’s being heard is really important and we’re really blessed to have team able to create that culture for su so we could go to very intense places in a safe way. We always come together as a company of friends before and after the show and so we can explore these very intense characters on stage.

I asked Michael to tell me a little bit more about Applause for Thought:

“They’re a community charity, founded by a former actor who has training in therapy. She uses her skills and employs people with her to best support people in our industry in terms of how to get through the job when it’s challenging, and gave us lots of expertise on specific themes in the play. So she was in as an expert and support for the company. She offers one to one sessions with people, they can sign up for a checklist, it’s all anonymised and handled beautifully. I love the fact that she’s in the room both as an artist and an expert, creating and supporting.

And finally, Tom told us what he wants audiences to take away from Next to Normal:

“I am someone who loves to go to the theatre and deeply feel something. Brian and I looked at Next to Normal as an opportunity for people to feel a connection. It’s hopeful, it’s something that depicts people who are going through something and need to find healing.

As a writer looking at the shows that inspired me and made me want to talk about things, I wanted to add to that in any way I could, and create something that people could take away and have conversations, look at their own lives and find meaning, hope and connection. And if it can offer comfort or any kind of guidance to anything in the human experience then that’s the greatest thing that I can take away as an artist”.

Next to Normal runs at Wyndham’s Theatre until 21st September 2024. Find out more and book tickets on the website.